A substrate container including a plate, a shell, a connector, and a seal, where the connector is threaded and secured via a nut, and the seal contacts each of the shell, plate, and connector. The plate has a recess accommodating an end of the connector and the nut. Field-serviceable, removable purge modules including check valves may be used with the substrate container, and may be secured to the substrate container in the recess in the plate. Filters may be secured to the connector or included in the purge modules. These filters may have diameters larger than an internal diameter of the connector.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein at least one of the threading on the connector and the threading on the nut includes a locking mechanism.
3. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein the seal is an o-ring.
4. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein the connector further comprises a filter membrane located at the first end of the connector, a filter grill, and a filter cap configured to mechanically engage the first end of the connector and secure the filter grill and filter membrane to the end of the connector.
5. The substrate container of claim 1, further comprising a front purge module including a check valve and a nozzle including an end having an outer diameter smaller than the third inner diameter, wherein the front inlet purge module is positioned such that the end of the nozzle is within the hollow portion of the connector.
6. The substrate container of claim 5, wherein the front purge module includes a plurality of tabs and the plate includes a plurality of ramped slots configured to accept the tabs of the front inlet purge module.
7. The substrate container of claim 6, wherein the plurality of tabs each include a recess and the plate includes a plurality of detent ribs configured to engage the recesses.
8. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein the connector includes an outlet having an opening, wherein a center of the opening is offset from a center of the inner diameter of the connector.
9. The substrate container of claim 8, wherein a diffuser tube is connected to the outlet.
10. The substrate container of claim 1, wherein when the nut is threaded onto the connector, the nut and the second end of the connector are located entirely within the recess.
11. The substrate container of claim 10, further comprising a filter membrane located within the recess.
12. The substrate container of claim 11, wherein the filter membrane has a diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the connector.
14. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the grommet is an overmolded grommet including a substrate and an elastomeric component.
15. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the check valve is an umbrella valve.
16. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the filter membrane has a diameter that is larger than the third inner diameter.
17. The substrate container of claim 13, wherein the rear inlet purge module body includes a plurality of tabs and the plate includes a plurality of ramped slots each configured to accept one of the plurality of tabs.
18. The substrate container of claim 17, wherein the rear inlet purge module body includes a plurality of fingers configured to engage the plate to prevent rotation of the rear purge inlet module when the plurality of tabs are fully within the plurality of slots.
20. The substrate container of claim 19, wherein the replaceable, field-serviceable inlet or outlet module is one selected from the group of an inlet purge module wherein the check valve is configured to allow flow into the shell, or an outlet purge module wherein the check valve is configured to allow flow out of the shell.
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April 17, 2020
January 10, 2023
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